Early Robust Design Approach for Accelerated Automotive Innovation Processes

The shift to modularized cars leads to the need for early and precise concept decisions for the development of modules. Many module definitions focus on the interaction between modules to make them upgradeable. The focus here is on modules that have to work with unknown restrictions in terms of uncertainty. In this paper, emphasis is put on unknown car styling in early design stages. Because of frequent interface modifications during the validation process of car styling, the great influence of this unknown restriction on modules is discussed for kinematic systems. The systematic approach of Robust Kinematics Optimization is successively described and exemplified. Due to the early and computer-aided consideration of uncertainties, the developer is able to judge even very unconventional and innovative module concepts. Furthermore, a higher level of transparency is achieved in concept decisions because the consequences of modifications during later development stages have been precociously integrated and validated.